CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 23: INNATE TALENT

The news that the cultivators from the Heaven-Reaching Tower would arrive in Celestial Cyan City had already reached the major families, and none were uninterested in the prospects of disciple recruitment from the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

The Heaven-Reaching Tower represents the strongest alchemical heritage in the Cultivation Realm, with the existence of the Immortal Pill Dao, serving as a sacred land for countless alchemists. However, generally, most offspring of cultivation families cannot pass the alchemy examination to enter the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

The faction is extremely stringent about the inheritance of alchemy. Unless one possesses extraordinary talent in alchemy, it is very difficult to become a core member of the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

Currently, the disciples being recruited by the Heaven-Reaching Tower resemble more the recruitment of alchemist aides and potion testers!

They select some young cultivators with strong potential and talent, making them outer disciples of the Heaven-Reaching Tower to serve as bodyguards and potion testers for the core alchemists, growing and binding together!

Around almost every core alchemist of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, there are several powerful cultivators responsible for their protection. In return, the pills refined by the alchemists are shared with these cultivators...

To become a core alchemist of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, one must be a prodigy in alchemy, and many who follow them will eventually reach Divinity Transformation, with even the lowest achievements being in the Nascent Soul stage.

Thus, even just becoming an alchemist aide attracts countless offspring from cultivation families.

In this process, if fortunate enough to receive guidance on alchemy from the Tower’s alchemists, the benefits would be limitless.

In the center of Celestial Cyan City, the major cultivation families have set up stages, led by Venerable Ling Quan, the person in charge of this city’s Cyan Nether Trade Association, to jointly welcome the esteemed guests, the alchemists from the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

The flying boat of the Heaven-Reaching Tower approaches, and Venerable Ling Quan laughs heartily, "So it’s Jiegeng Alchemist. I’ve long heard of Jiegeng Alchemist’s ascension to the fifth-grade alchemy realm. Congratulations!"

"Venerable Ling Quan, it’s been a long time." As a silhouette steps out from the flying boat, a female alchemist dressed in a simple white robe appears. She is young, only at the late Golden Core stage, yet even a Divinity Transformation powerhouse is very courteous to her.

The Nascent Soul powerhouses of the major families are also surprised at seeing her and immediately offer their greetings.

Although this female cultivator is only at the Golden Core cultivation, she is a core disciple of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, having ascended to the fifth-grade alchemy realm before the age of thirty, indicating she can now refine fifth-grade pills.

Fifth-grade pills are beneficial even to Divinity Transformation powerhouses, and a young Golden Core Stage cultivator able to refine such pills signals limitless future possibilities, with potential to become a sixth-grade alchemist.

Even if one ignores her talent, considering the Heaven-Reaching Tower and her master supporting her, everyone present must accord the appropriate respect.

"I’m merely following procedure to recruit alchemist aides for the Heaven-Reaching Tower, no need for such fanfare," Jiegeng Alchemist speaks softly.

"How can that be, Jiegeng Alchemist, please proceed. Many excellent offspring from Celestial Cyan City’s cultivation families are all present now. Let’s see who will have the fortune to join the Heaven-Reaching Tower," Venerable Ling Quan looks toward the crowd. Among them, over a hundred young cultivators with cultivation above Foundation Establishment eagerly gaze at Jiegeng Alchemist.

Although given their cultivation, they might not be able to follow this Jiegeng Alchemist, every alchemist of the Heaven-Reaching Tower is bound to at least achieve sixth-grade grades in the future. Regardless of whom they follow, their resources on the cultivation path will be secured. This is an opportunity to soar to great heights that most do not wish to miss.

"Alright then." Jiegeng Alchemist nods slightly, her figure slowly lands in the center at a challenge stage. Venerable Ling Quan senses several auras of Nascent Soul Great Perfection emanating from the flying boat and feels deeply moved. This batch of experts, coupled with the power of the pills and arrays, would likely not be easily handled even by a typical Divinity Transformation cultivator.

"This is my test beast, at Foundation Establishment Perfection. Whoever within the Foundation Establishment Stage can defeat it can become an outer disciple of the Heaven-Reaching Tower..."

Simultaneously, on the stage, Jiegeng Alchemist waves gently, and a massive three-headed giant snake covered in dark scales roars into appearance, exuding chaotic energy.

This three-headed snake, although its body color is consistent, each head is of a different color, seemingly holding three types of attribute powers. Seeing this giant snake, many powerful figures from the cultivation families take a deep breath, sensing its formidable bloodline power!

"...It’s quite potent among royal blood!"

"Is this the test beast? Defeating it... The conditions to become an alchemist aide at the Heaven-Reaching Tower this year are higher than ever!"

Faced with this three-headed serpent, many offspring from the cultivation families show signs of hesitation, but under the strong urging of their family elders, they muster up the courage to step onto the stage one by one, but inevitably... they are all easily defeated by the three-headed snake wielding the powers of lightning, fire, and frost.

Poof!

Another Foundation Establishment cultivator is thrown off the stage.

Jiegeng Alchemist sighs.

"Is that all there is?" After more than twenty young cultivators are defeated, Jiegeng Alchemist shakes her head at the edge of the stage. She captured this three-headed snake intending to study the art of pseudo-pill formation, trying to have it condense three demon pills. Currently, this is not even the strongest state of this snake. If one can’t defeat a demon beast of this level, they are wholly unqualified to become an alchemist aide to the alchemists of the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

Not only does Jiegeng Alchemist shake her head, but Venerable Ling Quan also sees this and shakes his head as well. It seems that the Heaven-Reaching Tower will return empty-handed from Celestial Cyan City this time. He hasn’t heard of any genius cultivators emerging in Celestial Cyan City over the past decade.

"I’ll do it!!"

However, just as many young cultivators are intimidated by the power of the three-headed serpent and dare not step forward to challenge, a sudden commotion arises within the crowd as a red-eyed youth pushes through, striding boldly toward the stage!

"Isn’t that Xia Yan..."

"When did this kid reach Foundation Establishment Perfection?!"

As this blue-robed youth steps out, cultivators from the Xia Family are suddenly taken aback, recalling that not long ago, he was still only at the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment!

But even this wasn’t enough to leave the Xia Family cultivators in disbelief; it was the power he displayed upon ascending the stage!

Blazing fire true essence rises from both his sides, illuminating his entire body. The near-major fire spirit power finally piqued Jiegeng Alchemist’s interest.

Typical talents, at Foundation Establishment, would have been fortunate to cultivate a special physique to minor success, but this youth has nearly achieved major success with his physique. If consummate achievement represents 100% of the physique’s power, minor success is 30%, and major success is 70%, indicating a stark numerical difference!

"Not only is his fire spirit body near full success, but his control over fire is also..."

The youth looked up, amid the roaring of firestorm-enriched tornadoes clashing with the three-headed giant snake. Witnessing this scene, Jiegeng Alchemist asked, "This youth has extraordinary talent, being under twenty years old and possessing such strength. He should qualify to become an alchemist aide, perhaps even a Heaven-Reaching Tower alchemist. Venerable Ling Quan, are you familiar with this youth?"

"This youth..." Venerable Ling Quan next to Jiegeng Alchemist also looked puzzled, "I know... Xia Yan from the Xia Family."

"His father was Celestial Cyan City’s top alchemist, Soul Fire Pill Venerable Xia Jie, but a year ago, Xia Jie Pill Venerable reportedly fell victim to a demon cultivator of the Nether Hall. This Xia Yan, I saw him at Xia Jie Pill Venerable’s funeral. I recall he was just at Early-Stage Foundation Establishment. In less than a year, how has he grown to this level of strength? Even if his father left sufficient inheritance, this growth speed is absurdly rapid..."

Venerable Ling Quan deeply regretted, had he known of Xia Yan’s talent earlier, he would have recruited him into the Cyan Nether Trade Association, never giving Heaven-Reaching Tower the chance!